African Wildlife Foundation - Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE & FOUNDATION RELATIONS November 2022

Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

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ABOUT THE AFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION African Wildlife Foundation’s mission is to ensure wildlife and wild lands thrive in modern Africa.

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is the oldest international conservation organization focused solely on Africa. Since our founding in 1961, AWF has recognized that Africa’s wildlife resources and ecosystems are critical to the future prosperity of Africa and its people. Some key facts about AWF:

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• With a geographic focus on the continent of Africa, AWF works with Africans at the local, regional and national levels to conserve the continent’s tremendous natural resources.

• We believe that sustainable development is good for Africa when balanced with biodiversity conservation.

• We focus on key African species, including elephants, rhinos, lions and other large carnivores, mountain gorillas and Africa’s other great apes.

• AWF is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with offices throughout Africa and in Europe and North America.

Our Conservation Approach For long-lasting impact, conservation in Africa must be done at a large-landscape level, together with local, national and global partners. Conservation must also consider the needs of not simply the wildlife living in the area but also the people. To that end: • Supporting, promoting, investing in African conservation leadership is in our DNA and a fundamental building block

Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

in everything we believe in and do as an organization.

• AWF targets large landscapes that include protected areas and a patchwork of lands owned and managed by communities, governments and other stakeholders.

• We implement a variety of conservation initiatives, all of which are centered around three specific areas: land,

wildlife and people (including education and enterprise).

• AWF incorporates climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts into many of our projects. Because conservation does not always take effect without political will, we also work with governmental partners and regional bodies to effect policy change

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INVESTING IN EFFICIENT, PLANNED, AND SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

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THE ROLE Reports to: Senior Vice President, Development & Public Engagement Location: Washington, DC (strong preference)

or on EST Salary: $185,000 – $200,000 USD

AWF seeks an entrepreneurial, results-driven Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations, to lead and direct a growing corporate and foundation relations fundraising program. This new VP will play a critical role in refining and implementing AWF’s current five-year fundraising strategy including the largest campaign in AWF’s history - in service of the organization’s ambitious 10-year strategic vision and programmatic priorities. They must be proactive, responsible, and have experience supervising teams and building strong corporate and foundation relationships. They also have an exceptional track record of meeting and exceeding eight figure fundraising goals in a fast-paced work environment.

Multifaceted corporate partnerships including corporate grants, sponsorships, cause-marketing partnerships as well as grants from foundations are important components of AWF’s comprehensive and ambitious fundraising program.

must be an exceptional communicator and relationship builder with the creativity and skills to motivate, mentor and support a growing corporate and foundations partnerships team.

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Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Development & Public Engagement, the Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations is responsible for developing and executing

fundraising strategies and will work closely with AWF’s senior leaders to implement metrics to measure fundraising performance, perform data analysis to drive strategy and create a reporting process to track progress towards ambitious fundraising goals. They will play a lead role in the cultivation of leadership within private foundations and corporations and

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RESPONSIBILITIES Fundraising & Strategic Planning: • Create, lead and execute a multi-year, comprehensive, proactive corporate and foundation fundraising plan that expands and enhances corporate and foundation relations with industry partners, with a focus on retention and expansion, growing AWF’s annual giving from the sector from $7 million to $12 million.

• Direct, coordinate and manage strategies and related moves management to secure corporate and foundation sponsorships and philanthropic support for AWF’s priority activities and initiatives, including traveling frequently to cultivate corporate partners and members in person to build these relationships.

• Oversee a fundraising program that represents approximately 10% of AWF’s annual philanthropic revenues in FY23 ($7 million), with expectations to grow the program significantly in the next 5-7 years (to between $12$15M, representing 30% of AWF’s annual operating budget.

• Build and progress a pipeline of new business opportunities from a growing community of mega philanthropists - with the potential to make multiyear grant valued at $1M+ annually - committed to conserving and restoring Africa’s biodiversity and halting climate change.

• Oversee preparation of compelling, highly competitive proposals, supporting materials and presentations for prospects and donors, and implement appropriate stewardship strategies to take advantage of diverse corporate and foundation goals that are in alignment with AWF goals.

• Track revenue and expenses, providing timely and accurate reports and meet benchmark outputs for fundraising goals.

• Evaluate, recommend and execute stewardship strategies

Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

for current and prospective corporate and foundation relationships aimed at increasing corporate and foundation partnerships and engagement.

• Establish and maintain excellent collaborative relationships with VPs, AWF program directors, the CFO and other key staff members to foster their involvement in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding corporate and foundation prospects, as well as planning and organizing safaris and other special events.

• Work closely and collaboratively with the VP of Business

Engagement and Enterprise, to ensure aligned strategy development for corporate partners with the potential to be 360° multifaceted partnerships.

• As a key advisor to the SVP, work closely with the VP, Individual Giving and Senior Director, Development Operations & Stewardship to develop and execute on collaborative fundraising strategies, programmatic plans, goals and budgets for each program area making up the Development Division.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

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Leadership & Management: • Work with the Development leadership, AWF CEO, Chief of Staff and Program heads to develop and deliver an inspiring narrative for investing in AWF’s African-led approach and strategic priorities to realize ambitious AWF’s 10-year strategic vision.

• Train and build the capacity of four professional fundraisers and one grant writer on corporate and foundation practices and tools for effective fundraising and C-suite/ program engagement.

• Lead a collaborative process with AWF colleagues at global HQ in Nairobi and with all priority landscape and country leads on corporate and foundations activity and decision making including the pre-positioning, forecasting, proposal development processes, and partner meetings and stewardship.

• Synthesize team performance in a clear and effective manner for dissemination to the Board of trustees and other stakeholders, while providing support to SVP in staffing the Development Committee, providing reports and program presentations as needed.

• Serve as key senior member of the Development team and AWF’s Senior Management Committee.

• Ensure ongoing reconciliation of funds raised with the organization’s Finance team.

• Work closely with Finance on budget development.

• Assure account management protocol is adhered to across all corporate and foundation accounts.

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QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

• Minimum 15 years’ progressive experience in fundraising from corporations and foundations, to include minimum 5 years at a senior management level with comparable staff and budget responsibilities.

• Demonstrated ability to raise 6-, 7-, and potentially 8-figure investments from corporations and foundations. Proven ability to negotiate complex, high profile or sensitive agreements. Strong analytic and project management skills; demonstrated experience overseeing and executing complex or multiple time-sensitive projects, including meeting financial goals and project deadlines, monitoring, evaluating and adaptively managing individual performance, programs and budgets, and coordinating the work of key staff and partners.

• Experience in developing and operationalizing mutually beneficial sponsorship opportunities that are valuable to both AWF and corporate partners.

• Demonstrated success in working collaboratively with diverse teams to develop complex shared value partnerships that contribute to conservation goals in landscapes where AWF delivers its programming.

• Strong leadership skills, with an entrepreneurial spirit and strong business and management skills; demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate staff, donors, volunteers (including trustees), and potential partners a must.

• Ability to succeed in a highly complex, matrixed organization—strong ability to collaborate, influence and persuade others.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build

Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

long-term relationships.

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, judgment, and ability to collaborate with a wide range of colleagues at the local and global levels.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively, both independently and in a team environment, in an atmosphere of multiple projects, shifting priorities, and deadline pressures.

• Demonstrated passion, appreciation and knowledge of Africa, community led wildlife conservation, international

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development, and broader African conservation history and strategies. Direct experience working in Africa, with nonprofits working with wildlife and/or conservation is highly desirable.

Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally.

100M+ campaign experience highly desirable.

Ambitious with a love of fundraising.

Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.

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EMPOWERING AFRICAN OWNERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP OF WILDLIFE AND WILD LANDS

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HOW TO APPLY All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter.

Please provide a CV and cover letter in two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process.

The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document NameDate (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-102022-AWF or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-102022-AWF.

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Timeline Closing Date: 19th December 2022 Screening interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, so please apply early if you are very interested in this role Selection process All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.

Vice President, Corporate & Foundation Relations

Equality Statement Equality and diversity are at the core of AWF’s values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

Queries If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at awf-corporate@oxfordhr. co.uk in the first instance.

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ABOUT OXFORD HR Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors. We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy.

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Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our client.

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OXFORD

LONDON

AMSTERDAM

NAIROBI

SINGAPORE

46 Woodstock Road

5 Tanner Street

Korte Schimmelstraat 12

Workify Africa

7500A Beach Road

Oxford

Bermondsey

1053 SZ

ABC Place

#04-326

OX2 6HT

London

Amsterdam

Waiyaki way

The Plaza

Nairobi

199591

SE1 3LE United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Kenya

Singapore

+44 (0) 1865 985 457

+44 (0)20 7939 7451

+31 (0) 683 334 473

+254 (0) 797 233 217

+65 9114 1439

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www.oxfordhr.co.uk | Company No. 6456325

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